Vodacom rAge 2019 has added another first to its list of attractions, with the World Robotic Olympia SA (WRO SA) setting up shop to host their top teams.

The World Robotic Olympiad (WRO) is a global event incorporating all things science, technology, education and robotics. It brings together young people from all over the world to develop their creativity and problem-solving skills through this challenging and educational robotics competition.

The finals of the WRO SA provincial events will be taking place over the course of the Vodacom rAge 2019 weekend, and the public is invited to come watch as teams battle it out for glory. The global theme of WRO for 2019 is Smart Cities.

The WRO SA has grown from 30 teams during its inception in 2009, to a grand 800 currently. This year, there has been five provincial events across the country, with the teams who win the finals across the different categories getting the chance to compete at the WRO international in Hungary.

Friday afternoon will see the WRO SA National Explorer Competition teams competing. This category is not part of the international finals but rather one that allows juniors to be a part of this technological phenomenon. These teams are made up of outreach robotics learners who, with the help of WRO SA and the Department of Science and Technology, have the opportunity to be involved and potentially move up the ranks into the international finals and one day take their creativity and skill to compete overseas. This category showcases age-appropriate challenges on tabletops in which teams design, build and program a LEGO Mindstorms robot to solve a solution.

Over the course of Saturday, the WRO SA National Competition finals will take place where teams will have to come out with all their robotic guns blazing to ensure top honours in the advanced robotics categories. Winners over the categories have the chance to take their teams and all their tricks to the world final in Hungary. There is also a football round robin where 10 teams of two robots play autonomous football against each other using an infra-red ball and seekers plus a compass sensor – a super charged tournament to test the builders.

Sunday is the day for all corporate teams to showcase their robotics chops in the Corporate Inter-Company Challenge. Teams can win awesome prizes by programming a robot to solve various challenges on a competition table.

The entire event across the weekend will be open for spectators to support the teams and get a taste of what the world of robotics is all about. Depending on the challenge, spectators can watch from the bleachers and cheer their favourite teams to glory or will be able to engage with the teams, get up close and personal with finalists and get a good look at all the action as it’s happening.

“Being able to showcase the work that WRO SA is doing at an event like Vodacom rAge is extremely exciting for us,’ says Danie Heymans from WRO SA. “Our teams are made up of coders and programmers who are immersed in the world of robotics – a category with a massive overlap into the world of gaming. A lot of these contestants are going to become a pivotal part of the future of gaming in SA and for them to have exposure across this platform is phenomenal. We are also looking forward to getting the public involved in what we are doing to give them a taste of what the robotics landscape is all about.”

Corporate teams who are interested in participating in the Corporate Challenge should contact Danie Heymans on 082 659 1404, or email danie@carefored.co.za.

For more details check out www.rageexpo.co.za. 

EVENT DETAILS:

When is Vodacom rAge 2019?

Friday 27 September – 10h00-18h00

Saturday 28 September – 09h00-18h00

Sunday 29 September – 09h00-16h00

Where is Vodacom rAge 2019?

The TicketPro Dome, Johannesburg

How do I buy tickets to Vodacom rAge 2019?

Tickets to Vodacom rAge 2019 are on sale via www.tickethero.co.za or at TicketPro outlets

Day Pass – R160 per person (ticket valid for entry for one day only)

Weekend Pass – R320 per person (ticket valid for entry for all three days)

Children under 6 are free

The following tickets are only available to purchase at the door:

Family Pass – R540 per family (ticket valid for one day for 2 adults + 2 children aged between 6 & 18)

Student Pass – R110 per person (ticket valid for Friday only upon presentation of valid student card)